Niagara women's lacrosse trending upward
NIAGARA -- They might be baby steps, but Mike Mansour will gladly take them.
A year removed from a season where his Purple Eagles won just once and were outscored by more than 100 goals, Mansour's youthful squad already has a victory and a tie to its credit early this spring. The win was a 12-9 decision over Notre Dame (Ohio) College, an NAIA school, with the tie (14-14) coming in dramatic fashion against Division II Gannon.
"There have been some new signs of life... we're definitely on an upswing," the coach said as Niagara readies for a three-game homestand beginning Thursday night vs. Little 3 rival St. Bonaventure. "We're hoping to really build off the Notre Dame game and the comeback effort against Gannon. We're gaining confidence."
Speaking of building, that's exactly what Mansour is hoping to do on Monteagle Ridge over the next few years. The centerpiece of that plan is the school's top-notch turf complex, Niagara Field. The 12th-year coach said he's been able to recruit better student-athletes to NU in the past year or two as a result of the complex upgrades. In addition, he's added assistant coaches, including former player Lindsay Hamann.
"Having that type of (financial) commitment from the athletic department has helped us get more recruits on campus and gain interest in our program," Mansour said, while noting that proposed upgrades to locker rooms, offices and workout facilities will only make things even better.
As for this year's edition of the Purple Eagles, they're led by junior captain Nicole Karek, who currently has 11 goals and 10 assists. The Frontier High School graduate is all over the field and can handle any role, Mansour said. Sophomore attack Fran Pollastro, senior midfielder Rianne Farrugia and junior midfielder Emily French have also had solid starts to the season offensively.
NU's defense is anchored by junior Jessica Rogers (Lancaster). The team captain is the Purple Eagles' vocal leader, Mansour said. Rogers' unit is protecting the freshmen duo of Jen Zandlo and Patricia McTiernan between the pipes. Zandlo has gotten the bulk of the work of late and has performed well, including several point-blank saves in overtime against Gannon.
With Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play set to begin April 1, Niagara is hoping to bring its best to the table in an effort to qualify for the MAAC Tournament for the first time since 2003.
"We're going to do whatever it takes to make that MAAC Tournament," Mansour said. "We played our non-conference schedule to help us get ready for the MAAC games. In our mind, all teams are within reach in the MAAC. Every team has the potential to beat each other, including us."
